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Water saving methods gain ground in Tuticorin

Collector inspects agriculture related activities

MORE yield:Collector Ashish Kumar inspecting a drip irrigation system at Ettayapuram in Tuticorin district on Thursday.— Photo: N. Rajesh

To take stock of various agriculture related activities taking place in the district, Collector Ashish Kumar visited the areas on Thursday.

He inspected a water tank at Tharuvaikulam, where a new shutter has been constructed to an extent of 1,410 meters.

Besides, repair works had been taken up in a shutter for up to 1,080 meters. Bunds had also been strengthened along 3,410 meters and a stone retaining wall was also raised up to hundred meters.

These works had been executed under the Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water-bodies Restoration and Management (IAMWARM) project by the Public Works Department at a cost of Rs. 32.76 lakh, the Collector said after inspecting the same.

Of the total works to be completed at a cost of Rs. 37.55 lakh in the current fiscal, works have been completed to the tune of Rs. 32.76 lakh. As for drip irrigation fifty hectares have been earmarked in the district and so far 35 hectares have been covered.

In his interaction with farmers at Ilampuvanam village in Ettayapuram taluk, the Collector was told about water saving methods that could be achieved after applying techniques of agriculture engineering. S. Subburajulu, a farmer, said guava, citrus and mahogany wood species were being cultivated on 3.22 hectares with the technical system at a cost of Rs. 1, 6074 which included a subsidy of Rs. 52, 308 under IAMWARM scheme.

Sugan Ragavendra, another farmer, said that a similar species had been raised on 1.69 hectares at Rs. 50,603 with a subsidy of Rs. 28,526. Subsequently, the Collector inspected the rainfed cultivation area where maize, cumbu, green grams, black grams, sunflower and oilseed crops were sown in Ottapidaram and Kovilpatti blocks.

D. Ranjithsingh Dhanraj, Joint Director of Agriculture, S. Mathialagan, Assistant Director of Agriculture (Quality Control), PWD officials, District Rural Development Agency officials and M. Kanagaraj, Personal Assistant to Collector (Agriculture) accompanied the Collector. He also inspected projects under the Chief Minister Green Houses’ scheme and construction of houses under Indira Awaz Yojhana at Tharuvaikulam. A bus shelter and a cremation shed at Vallinayagipuram were also inspected.